What Happened to the Snow?

What happened to the snow? That was the common question this weekend. Earlier in the week, it appeared enough cold air would be in place, with a low pressure system bringing in moisture from the south. The result would be snow, changing to sleet and then freezing rain.

By late Thursday, it appeared the low was moving a bit more in an easterly direction. Also, the high pressure (keeping the cold air locked in) across the coast of New England had a "blocking" characteristic to it. One that didn't appear to impact the storm in previous model runs.

We never expected a big storm. Even if everything went as forecast, we'd see only and inch or two of snow, and a little freezing rain.

So this quick shift in the moisture meant a major change in the outcome.

If you watched at 5pm, we noticed this shift to the east, and that it may not go as expected. By 11pm, it was obvious this was a no go.

Some storms are pretty easy to forecast, but this one required hand-holding. It changed as the night went on. "Stay with us for the changing forecast." Perhaps we say it so much that no one even listens anymore. Weather is like any other developing story, it evolves, changes, and often surprises.

This was a day where every weathercast was a new and improved one. If you missed one, you were out of the loop.

This week, I posted a poll question that asked: What are your thoughts of this winter?

Of the 655 that responded, most voted they wanted more snow. Here's the outcome:

#1 Answer: More snow, please
#2 Answer: Bring on Spring!
#3 Answer: What Winter?
#4 Answer: This winter was perfect.

I'd agree that a bit more snow would be nice, but I'm starting to get used to snow-less winters. What do you think? Click below to leave a comment.

Have a warmer weekend!
--Meteorologist Brent Watts

"Total Eclipse of the heart"

Hopefully the weather cooperated and you were able to see the total lunar eclipse last night.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the shadow cast by the sunlit Earth. When the Moon enters the outer penumbra, where just part of the Sun's light is blocked, it becomes only slightly dimmer. Only when it passes into the shadow, the umbra, does it look markedly darker.

It's called "total" lunar eclipse, because the moon is full (in this case, Full Snow Moon). 

Because of the stinkin' clouds, many hometowns in southwest Virginia didn't get to see the lunar eclipse. For those that did, the moon was to high in the night sky, that photos weren't very flattering. 

Maybe next time. The next total lunar eclipse is scheduled for 2010. Boy, that seems like an eternity from now.  ---Brent

 Image by Gregg Dinderman, Sky & Telescope)

Stories of Hope

Tuesday's deadly tornado outbreak in Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee is hard to come to grips with. Whenever something like this happens, it often leaves me thinking how some people survived, and others didn't. What was that moment of panic and split-second decision making like? I've been reading a lot about the storms that struck (not so far away) this week, and the stories seem endless. There's Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, that just finished rebuilding after a tornado hit that campus a few years ago. There's the story of a woman who fled her mobile home to a brick church next door when she saw the twister coming. The tornado leveled the church, killing the woman, and left her mobile home untouched. And then there's Kyson Stowell. The Associated Press reported Thursday the 11-month-old was found in a field 150 yards from his Tennessee home after the tornado struck. At first, firefighters combing the field where Kyson was found only discovered the body of his mother. After a second search of the field, they found Kyson, who at first they thought was a doll. Kyson's grandparents say they were in contact with his mother, Kerri, just before the storm hit. She was holding Kyson next to her side in a bathtub in their home. Moments later, everything changed. The stories coming out of Tennessee and the other surrounding states are sad, to say the least. Hopefully, the people and communities affected by Tuesday's storms can rally around each other and come back stronger than ever - and I hope they rally around baby Kyson, who lost his mom way too early in his young life. ~Meteorologist Jay Webb

Happy Weatherman's Day

Please refrain from sending flowers and candies, however nice emails and letters will be accepted. Today, is National Weatherman's Day. Obviously, it is not politically correct, it should read renamed Weathercaster's Day, or even better, Happy Meteorologist Day.

National Weatherman's Day honors weathermen, and woman who work hard to accurately predict the often fickle weather. Despite major technological advances and supercomputers, forecasting the weather is still a tricky, and ever changing business.

"Weatherman's Day "commemorates the birth of John Jeffries, one of America's first weathermen". Jeffries was born on Feb 5, 1744. He kept weather records from 1774 to1816. While the reason behind the day is clear, we really don't know who initiated the day and when.

There's nothing to confirm it's a national holiday, but I'm working on that. I figured we might as well give you another day off from work and school.

Enjoy the day! It looks like it will be a warm one.

--Meteorologist Brent Watts

Phil Says "Six More Weeks of Winter"

Well, I guess now it's official. Six more weeks of winter. At least that's what the famous groundhog is predicting. Here's Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:

Here Ye! Here Ye! Here Ye!

On Gobbler's Knob on this fabolous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.

After casting a weathered eye toward thousands of his faithful followers,
Phil consulted with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll, which proclaimed:

"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of winter it will be!" 

HERE ARE A FEW INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT GROUNDHOGS: 

 The average groundhog is 20 inches long and normally weighs from 12 to 15 pounds. Punxsutawney Phil weighs about 20 pounds and is 22 inches long.

 Groundhogs are covered with coarse grayish hairs (fur) tipped with brown or sometimes dull red. They have short ears, a short tail, short legs, and are surprisingly quick. Their jaws are exceptionally strong.

 A groundhog's diet consists of lots of greens, fruits, and vegetables and very little water. Most of their liquids come from dewy leaves.

 A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in the spring when they begin courting.

Ice, Ice, Baby

This song brings back so many memories. I highly advise you to press PLAY on the music video below, and then read the rest of this blog entry.....I'll wait...OK....All Done?
The forecast was on the money today. The freezing rain materialized as expected, and the amount of rain we got was so beneficial. We started 2008 with nearly a foot rainfall deficit, so we need to count on catching up this year. We get many questions about winter precipitation, especially freezing rain. It's probably the simplest of the precipitation, but often most confusing. Freezing rain is simply rain that falls from the sky, then freezes on contact on surfaces that are 32 degrees or below. Freezing rain and "ICE" can be used interchangeably.

Today we saw the ice mainly on trees and power lines and not on the roads. This is because the earth is a good insulator and retains heat well. Since the roads have been so warm lately, they never made it to 32, unlike the elevated surfaces which hit the freezing mark.

As of Noon Friday, here are some of the ice amounts from the National Weather Service:

VIRGINIA

...AMHERST COUNTY...
MONROE                0.20

...BATH COUNTY...
WARM SPRINGS          0.30

...BEDFORD COUNTY...
FOREST                0.25
THAXTON               0.20

...BLAND COUNTY...
BLAND                 0.05

...BOTETOURT COUNTY...
BUCHANAN              0.25

...BUCKINGHAM COUNTY...
BUCKINGHAM            0.10

...CARROLL COUNTY...
CANA                  0.30

...CITY OF BUENA VISTA...
BUENA VISTA           0.25

...CITY OF COVINGTON...
COVINGTON             0.25

...CITY OF GALAX...
GALAX                 0.10

...CITY OF LYNCHBURG...
LYNCHBURG             0.25

...CITY OF ROANOKE...
ROANOKE               0.25

...CRAIG COUNTY...
PAINT BANK            0.25

...FLOYD COUNTY...
RINER                 0.25  TREES DOWN
CHECK                 0.30

...FRANKLIN COUNTY...
BOONES MILL           0.30
ROCKY MOUNT           0.25
FERRUM                0.20

...GILES COUNTY...
PEMBROKE              0.25 TREES DOWN

...GRAYSON COUNTY...
INDEPENDENCE          0.25 TREES DOWN

...HENRY COUNTY...
BASSETT               0.25

...MONTGOMERY COUNTY...
BLACKSBURG            0.30

...PATRICK COUNTY...
STUART                0.25 TREES/PWRLINES DOWN

...PULASKI COUNTY...
PULASKI               0.10

...ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY...
NATURAL BRIDGE        0.25

...SMYTH COUNTY...
MARION                0.10

...WYTHE COUNTY...
WYTHEVILLE            0.05

--Meteorologist Brent Watts